Coil-clasp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' U. JACKSON.

COIL CLASP.

No. 433,791] Patented Au 5, 1890.

J'i/y l,

ATTQH/VEYS.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheet-Sheet 2.

' O. JACKSON. I

COIL OLASP. I No. 433,791. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC CALVIN JACKSON, OF JACKSONWALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIL-CLAS P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,791, dated August 5, 1890. Application filed April 24, 1889- Serial No. 308,440. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN JACKSON, of J acksonwald, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Coil-Clasp, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved coil-clasp, showing it in connection with a belt. Fig. 2 shows the clasp separated. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 0c in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a coil-clasp arranged with the two ends of the belt in the same plane. Fig. 5 is a trans- Verse section taken on line pp in Fig. 4. Fig.

. 6 is a side elevation of another form of the clasp. Fig. '7 is a transverse sect-ion taken on line 2 z in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the coil-clasp applied to the edges of a flexible fabric or leather by stitching.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient clasp for mailbags, boots and shoes, gloves, trunks, valises and traveling-bags, grain-bags, corsets, belts, and for similar uses.

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

In carrying out my invention I make in the edges of the leather belt A or other material to be united by the clasp a series of equidistant holes a, and into. these holes at one end of the belt I insert a right-handed spiral B by turning the spiral until it has entered all of the holes in the belt. In the opposite end of the belt I insert in a similar Way a lefthanded spiral B. These spirals may be broughttogether in the manner shown in Fig. 1 by causing the convolutions of one spiral to enter into the spaces between the convolutions of the other spiral. In the space included by the inner portions of the two spirals is inserted a wire 0, which secures the two spirals and prevents them froinbeing drawn apart.

In some cases I allow the edge of the belt or other material to which the clasp is applied to project some distance into the spiral, so that it may overlap the adjoining spiral when the clasp is united, as shown in Fig. 3. In other cases I allow the adjoining edges of the leather or fabric to lie in the same plane, as shown in Fig. 5, when the connecting-wire C will also be inserted in the two spirals, so as to lie in the same plane with the leather or fabric united.

' The wire 0 which fastens the clasp may be held in its place in the spirals in any convenient way. I have shown one way of doing this in Fig. 4, in which perforated metallic caps 19 are placed upon the ends of the spirals, and the wire O, which is provided with a head upon one end, passes through the caps and the spirals and is secured in place by a nut turned on the opposite end. Another method of securing the wire 0 in the clasp is to pro vide a head upon one end of the wire and a loop upon the other and fasten the wire in place by means of a padlock inserted in the loop. In the form shown in Fig. 6 the edges of the leather or fabric united by the clasp extend toward each other and abut within the coils, as shown in Fig. 7. This arrange ment causes the clasp to project almost entirely from one side of the material united by the clasp. The clasp in this form may be used for fastening the ends of belts or for closing the mouths of bags or purses.

By having the holes a a proper distance from the edges of the fabric A a strip of leather or other fabric will be formed within each coil. as they make the clasp tight, so that when applied to a bag or other receptacle a complete closure thereof may be effected, as will be seen in Fig. 7. In Fig. 3 the strips occupy the concavo-convex spaces formed by the two series of coils, While the rod occupies the central space formed by the overlapped portions of the coils, and thus a tight and firm joint is formed by the rod forcing the coils against the opposite strips.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the application of my improved clasp to the fasteningjof shoes. In this case the spirals B B are secured to the edges of the leather by stitching, and the fastening is effected by drawing the thread or wire into the space inclosed between the two spirals by means of a barbed hook, as indicated in the drawings.

In all these cases I have preferably used right and left hand spirals; butI do not limit my improvement to such spirals, as they may both be formed in the same direction. Furthermore, in either case, the coils, after being fastened, may, if desired, be pressed into various shapes, so that a cross-section of the coils would show an oval, oblong, or other form, as may be required.

My improved clasp is easily applied, is flexible in both directions, and may be used either in a straight or curved form, as may be required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1, A clasp or fastener consisting in two individual parallel oppositely-wound spiral coils adapted to be pressed laterally together, and a removable connector to be passed through and removed from the space formed by the overlapping portions of the spiral coils when they are pressed together, substantially as set forth.

'2. As an improved article of manufacture, a clasp or fastener consisting of an individual right and a left hand round spiral coil adapted to be pressed laterally together throughout their lengths to overlap their coils, and a removable connector to be passed through and withdrawn from the central space formed by these overlapped portions to conneat and disconnect the two coils, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the two individual spiral coils, and end caps having aligned openings or apertures, of a removable connector adapted to be passed through the space formed by the overlapping portions of the coils when the coils are pressed together and through the apertures or openings in the end caps, substantially as set forth. a

4. The combination, with two individual spiral coils adapted to be pressed laterally together, and end caps inclosing the ends of said spirals and having aligned apertures or openings, of a removable rod to be passed through and removed from the apertured end caps and the space formed by the overlapping portions of the coils, and means for locking the rod against longitudinal movement, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the two individual spirals. adapted to be pressed together laterally, and end caps inclosing the ends of said spirals and having apertures or openings, of a rod headed at one end and adapted to be passed through the end caps and space formed by the overlapping portions of the coils when the spirals are pressed together, and a nut on the opposite end of the rod, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the belt, bag, or other article, and two individual spiral coils secured to the meeting edges or ends thereof, and strips extending longitudinally-through the coils, said coils being adapted to be pressed laterally together, and a removable rod to be passed through the space formed by the overlapping portions of the coils, whereby the space within the coils will be practically closed and a tight joint formed, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the belt, bag, or other article having ends or edges to be 0011- nected, said edges each having a row of apertures, of individual spiral coils extending through said apertures, whereby strips are formed within each coil, and a rod to be passed through and removed from the space formed by the overlapping portions of the said coils, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a bag having a row of apertures parallel with and in rear of each edge of-its mouth, of an individual spiral coil extending through said apertures and inclosing the strips formed above or beyond said apertures, said strips being curved upward and inward along the opposite sides of the coils, and the locking-rod adapted to be passed through and removed from the space formed by the overlapping portions of the coils, whereby when the coils are pressed laterally together and the rod inserted the edges of the said strips will be held together to close the mouth of the bag.

CALVIN J AOK'SOV. \Vitncsses:

HENRY M. JACKSON, JOHN J AOKSON. 

